The ride.
I’m up at 6am. Before my alarm goes off. We’re out of the door by 6.50am. Rudra will lead me to the Tumkur highway before we part ways.
From here on, it’s solo for the next 1000 odd kilometers.
The first 200km pass without too much incident. A lot of tourist buses and mini buses crowding up the highway meaning my average speed was low. I had planned to hit Belgaum, the halfway mark by noon. My first stop is for fuel at the 200km mark. At 9am. There is a reliance pump with the attached A1 joint where I have an idli. I had noticed the road conditions deteriorating, but didn’t think it would be too bad.
First fuel stop
9.40am I set off after the snack. And I am thrown straight into what can only be termed as hell! No, I’m sure hell has better roads. I use the term road loosely here. I can’t really say these are bad roads, as that would mean there was a road to begin with! But here I was, with a new bike, and riding km after km on nothing but dust and sharp stones waiting to puncture my tyres leaving in the middle of nowhere! It was exhausting, traveling at 25kmph for a hundred km, having large trucks past inches away from me leaving me blinded and choking in the dust. The few paved stretches there were had unmarked speedbrakers (on a national highway!!) and 1-2 inch changes in the level of the surface which would send a horrid WHACK through the bike. I was sure that if I escaped without a puncture, I was sure to end up with a bent rim! I get passed by an E270 CDI. Oh what I would have given to be cocooned in that car at that moment! This continued for what seemed like an eternity. It took me more than 2 hours to complete this stretch, leaving me exhausted and behind schedule. But, I guess this is just part of touring Indian highways.
Making conversation at the railway crossing. Notice the road. This was 10 times better than the next 100 kilometers!
I head past Hubli, and the road gets better. Much better. I’m enjoying the ride again. The kilometers roll off. I pass Belgaum at around 2pm. 2 hours later than I expected. But the roads have now improved a lot. Excellent visibility, smooth surface and not too many trucks. Speeds have increased. I’m making up time.
The roads improve:
I’m so into the ride, that suddenly I notice something flashing on the LCD on the dashboard. It’s the fuel gauge. I’m into the reserve. And there is nothing around for miles! Crap! I go into fuel save mode. Speed drops to 90-100kmph, revs at 3.5-4,000 rpm, steady throttle. Try and predict the traffic to minimize braking. Damn truck makes me brake, which means downshifting, then accelerating again. Precious fuel wasted. 20km into the reserve and still no sign of a pump. Gulp…
Nothing around for miles!
And then I see it. An IDB pump. A tiny one. I don’t usually fill up at these pumps, but beggars can’t be choosers. I pull in and ask the attendant how far the next pump is. He tells me there is one about 2.5km ahead. I think for a second. I decide to go for it. Luckily he wasn’t kidding and there is a nice BP pump where I tank up on Speed and clean the dead bugs off my helmet. That was a close one.
I cross Kolhapur at about 3.15pm or so. The roads are now familiar to me as I’ve traveled this stretch many times before. Speeds are high. The sun is behind some clouds and the temperature drops. This is what riding is all about. You feel every minute change in your environment. The smells of the field’s you ride past, yes, even the smell fresh manure! In a car, you watch this like you would watch television. On a bike, you live it.
Lovely!
Out of the darkness that is the New Katraj Ghat tunnel and I am in Pune by around 4.30pm. I contemplate spending the night in Pune, but decide to push on towards Mumbai.
On the other side of the tunnel.
The Old Mumbai-Pune highway is pure bliss. The sun playing hide n seek with the mountains and clouds, clean smooth blacktop ahead. No traffic and the cool evening air of Khandala. After 9 hours in the saddle this is really refreshing.
Heading down from Khandala. Almost home!
The V-four engine, they say, is the most perfect road bike engine ever made. It is so tractable; you would almost call it an automatic. The torque is amazing and the smoothness really is stunning. This is my first Honda, and until now, I thought the press and owners were simply exaggerating these qualities. But now I know better. This really is an awesome engine!
A 15 minute fuel (for me and the bike) stop at a reliance pump before Lonavala followed by another one at Maganlal’s for some fudge and chikki and I head down the ghats.
I reach the Mcdonalds at the end of the expressway at 6.10pm. The joy ride’s over. Now what lay ahead was 50km of dense evening rush hour traffic. Not something I was looking forward too. I just wanted to get back, have a shower and call it a day. Instead I was negotiating heavy traffic and hot, humid weather.
I reach Worli Seaface at 6.50pm. I stop near the Aarey energee vendor and down 4 cold ones. Energee, not beer. That was refreshing. Really refreshing. One last jam to negotiate at Haji Ali and I was home. Parked the bike at 7.15pm. Rear numb, palms almost blistered (my fault, I decided to try out a new pair of gloves instead of using my worn in regulars) and neck stiff. I never felt better!
Before my shower, I go back downstairs, bucket in hand, turtle wash n wax in hand and give Viff a good wash, removing all the splattered bugs (there were A LOT of them) from the front fairing, screen and lights and washed the entire bike. I just stood there, watching her dry. Still digesting the fact that she was really mine. 12 hours and 1000 odd kilometers is just the start of something big for me.
Some random shots: